Best up-and-coming webcomics?

March 14, 2012 9:52 PM

What are the best new webcomics?

I'm an avid reader of webcomics - I read Penny Arcade, MS paint adventures, xkcd, Sam and Fuzzy, Overcompensating, Achewood, Dr. Mcninja, Dinosaur Comics, Gunnerkrigg Court, American Elf, Nedroid, Gunshow, Married to the Sea, Kate Beaton, and Three Word Phrase.

But everything I read, for the most part, is well known and has been going for years and years. What are the best webcomics that haven't been going for very long, and haven't gathered a big audience yet? I'm aware there are other popular webcomics that aren't on my list, like SMBC, QC, and so on, but that's not what I'm looking for. Gag strips or story-driven comics are fine; polished art is a plus but not a requirement.

posted by Rinku to media & arts (23 answers total)

I recently discovered Cucumber Quest. It's only been going for about a year, and so far the Prologue and Chapter 0 are totally done, and it's near the beginning of Chapter 1. The art is technically impressive -- very expressive, with a really excellent use of color, in a bright, childish palette. The story seems fun so far, too.
posted by duien at 9:58 PM on March 14, 2012 [3 favorites]

Fey Winds is really awesome.
posted by Strass at 10:10 PM on March 14, 2012

Lackadaisy has been around for a while, but I dont think its very well known. If your looking for polished artwork, this is the place to go. Calling it a comic is an over simplification, its more like an online graphic novel.

The Dresden Codak is similar in that its art style is very refined, and kicks some serious ass. Also very much a graphic novel, but more with the graphic part and less with the novel.

Scenes From A Multiverse on the other hand is just plain silly. This is quality bizarre weirdness in daily comic form. Highly recommended.
posted by KeSetAffinityThread at 10:42 PM on March 14, 2012 [3 favorites]

Johnny Wander's been running for four years, but if you're not reading it already, you totally should be!

Thistil Mistil Kistil is also awesome, and Archipelago is kind of interesting.

Arch's website is a throwback to the 90s and the whole thing sort of needs an editor, but the art (and the storyline) have improved a lot as time has gone on. The author's religious views might make you uncomfortable, though. They make me sort of uncomfortable.

Der-shing Helmer over at The Meek used to feature less well-known comics on her blog sometimes. I'm not sure if she still does it, but it was nice.
posted by topoisomerase at 10:56 PM on March 14, 2012 [1 favorite]

Bittermensch started in 2010 and still updates quasi-regularly.
posted by Rhaomi at 11:18 PM on March 14, 2012

Oglaf only updates on sundays, started in 2011 I think (NSFW)
Bad Machinëry by John Allison from previous Scary-go-round and previouslier Bobbins fame has reasonably short storylines and thus easy to get into
JA has been around long of course, but as he reinvents himself regularly I put him on the list anyway
Weird post-apocalyptic Romantically apocalyptic started in 2009
posted by charles kaapjes at 12:29 AM on March 15, 2012 [3 favorites]

Unsounded
posted by sebastienbailard at 1:45 AM on March 15, 2012

Carpe Chaos: Stand-alone stories about different alien species who experience culture clash and must learn how to solve their problems cooperatively. Amazing.

Bird Boy: 30 pages so far, amazing art and bizarre creatures that remind me of Gunnerkrigg Court.

Lady Sabre & The Pirates of the Ineffable Aether. Started mid-2011, high-quality graphic novel-style art. Steampunky Western gunslinger action.

Subnormality: Not exactly new (I think it celebrated its 5th year running recently), but not very well known either. Very wordy, usually gag strips.

Also: ComicMix is having nominations for their Webcomics Mix March Madness Contest. The article itself has a mix of old and new webcomics up for nominations (close to 300), and the comments section has many more recommendations.
posted by cuculine at 1:46 AM on March 15, 2012

Manly Guys Doing Manly Things is a pretty good weekly comic that started 2 years ago that takes a very ridiculous premise (a temp agency for ex-video game macho dudes) and actually puts some thought into it.

I also just found Sakana, which is new this year and about guys working in the Tsukiji fish market.

Battle Pug is another weekly comic, about a year old. It is about a gigantic pug and the barbarian who does not necessarily love him.

Erstwhile Tales is a series of shorter comic stories based on fairy tales.

Monster Pulse is a comic about children who have had parts of them turned into monsters.

Lair of the Lizardmin is a silly gag comic about a Lizard-men army. It hasn't been updating terribly regularly at late, though, so it's one to just be surprised with in your RSS reader.

K and J is about a Korean girl growing up in the US.

I also like Cucumber Quest, and I think that's all the newer comics in my RSS feed.

In case you haven't discovered this comic that has been around for a while Sheldon is a wonderful gag comic, and the artist's other project Drive is newer and a great space epic.
posted by that girl at 2:44 AM on March 15, 2012

Delilah Dirk by MeFi's own TangoCharlie (Tony Cliff) is great.
Previously.
posted by bru at 4:19 AM on March 15, 2012

I am loving The Machinators by MeFi's own picea.
posted by gemmy at 6:32 AM on March 15, 2012

I really like Boldly Gone by Kevin Church and Ming Doyle, a Star Trek parody strip. It's about life as a Starfleet captain if you're not Jim Kirk.

And if you haven't read it, Church and Doyle's webcomic The Loneliest Astronauts was very good and is now complete.
posted by davextreme at 6:46 AM on March 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

Not sure about your feelings on religion, but The Atheist Pig just started up a few months ago. While the art is definitely, uh, offhand, the writing can be quite funny (depending on your religious views, of course).
posted by eralclare at 7:31 AM on March 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

Vattu is a really great comic that you might enjoy. In addition, you can check out the archives for completed stories Rice Boy and Order of Tales, as well as some limited runs and one-offs.
posted by slkinsey at 9:59 AM on March 15, 2012

Some web comics I like to read:

Pictures for Sad Children: It features simple colorful art with a melancholy feeling to the stories. I think it updates less often than some web comics.

Sfeer Theory: About alt history with magicians and different magic theories. The creator went on a hiatus a few months ago, but now the story is back on track as of March. It reminds me of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. Updates weekly.

I agree with the other posters who recommend Cucumber Story and Lackadaisy Cats both are interesting web comics with nice art.
posted by chrono_rabbit at 10:00 AM on March 15, 2012 [2 favorites]

Seconding Ogiaf and Scenes from a Multiverse. I like Delilah Dirk and it's at a good point to leap in, but there's a lot of backstory I haven't read and I sometimes feel a bit lost. I feel the same way about Bad Machinery (that there's stuff I missed because I haven't read Scary-Go-Round).
posted by immlass at 10:18 AM on March 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

The Athiest Pig. Link above goes to this page.
posted by tr33hggr at 10:49 AM on March 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

The Less Than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal

A couple years old, gorgeous art, slice-of-life/romance/road trip story, ongoing.

Templar Arizona

A strange and not infrequently disturbing alternate of the southwest. Not for everyone, but those who love it tend to love it A LOT. Also ongoing.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 11:40 AM on March 15, 2012

My friends have been doing a webcomic for a few years that seems to be moving up in the world of the interwebs. Its pretty funny and entertaining, even when I don't understand the serious comic nerd references. Plus the art is done well if I do say so myself.


posted by Quincy at 11:54 AM on March 15, 2012

Sorry, of course link didn't work. Its Let's Be Friends Again
posted by Quincy at 12:01 PM on March 15, 2012

Jesse Moyniham's Forming is absurd and hilarious. Guy does animation for Adventure Time and, in many ways, the comic is like Adventure Time for without the limitations of being on air. Lots of dirty language and naughty art.

Hejibits is pretty stupid but his gag's are consistent in effective self-effacement. Mostly nerdy video game/punny humor, reads like a "best of reddit" sort of thing.

Johnny Wander's cute and super webcomicky if that makes any sense.

Shi Long Pang is a cute, somewhat historically accurate but not PC about it comic about a shaolin monk wandering about post-revolution Qing dynasty China. It's good about not making the culture seem exotic and mystical.
posted by dubusadus at 7:15 PM on March 15, 2012

Super Brophy Brothers.
posted by timory at 6:25 AM on March 17, 2012

crap, the link didn't work.

Super Brophy Brothers!
posted by timory at 6:27 AM on March 17, 2012